Rain gets upper hand in fourth-round matches

RAIN significantly affected play on the first day of fourth-round matches in the LIME Division 1 competition yesterday.AT THE BREWERY: Rain restricted play to just 15.2 overs during which time Banks reached 35 without loss after being invited to bat by BNB St Catherine.After a start delayed by 31 minutes because of the weather, play was interrupted in the fourth over with Banks on three without loss.On resumption shortly before 2 p.m., openers Martin Nurse and Kofie Hurdle batted cautiously as the clouds threatened another downpour.Amidst some light rain, Nurse (16 not out), had time to launch a six over extra-cover off Ulric Batson but rain forced the players off the field at 2:35 p.m at which point an early tea was taken.Persistent showers and a wet outfield eventually caused play to be abandoned at 4:10 p.m. (PH)AT CANE GARDEN: Persistent afternoon showers and a waterlogged outfield halted a promising position by Guardian General Barbados Youth against visitors Super Centre Spartan.When the persistent showers finally drove the players off the field at 1:32 p.m. the schoolboys were 53 for the loss of Ricardo Harewood for 18 after an opening stand of 28 with Marlon Welcome-Goodman. Left-handed Welcome-Goodman batted stylishly against the Parkites spin attack to be not out at the interval on 25. (HE) AT 3WS OVAL:  Play between Sagicor UWI and ESA Field Pickwick was limited to just four overs before the rains and some seepage of water off the covers forced an abandonment.Play began on the scheduled start, but after 20 minutes of Pickwick’s innings the rains came tumbling down.The visitors, after being sent in, were two for one wicket. Opener Jamar Yearwood was caught by wicketkeeper Simon Naitram off medium pacer Raymon Reifer. (AI)AT BLACK ROCK: TeleBarbados Carlton, after winning the toss and asking Caribbean Lumber YMPC to bat first, managed only 4.1 overs in the 25 minutes’ play posible before heavy showers drove the players off the field with the visitors reaching 13 for the loss of Steve Blackett’s wicket.With water puddles on the outfield and persistent showers, the umpires abandoned play for the day at 2.15 p.m. (MJ)